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The
Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest nationally-recognized achievement award given
by Girl Scouts of the USA that Girl Scouts, ages 14-18 years, may earn. Someone
once described the Girl Scout Gold Award as being "what you really want to be remembered for" in Girl Scouting. In
the multi-year, seven-step process, each Girl Scout undertakes a detailed assessment
of her capacities and interests, including leadership and organizational skills,
higher education and/or career goals. Finally,
she creates a Gold Award Project designed to make “her community”
a better place. The word “community” is interpreted broadly, ranging
from helping low-income senior citizens around the corner, to displaced families
in hurricane ravaged New Orleans and disadvantaged children in Mexico. Projects
have ranged from improving youth scholarship and literacy, improving community
facilities such as school libraries in low-income neighborhoods, supporting individuals
in crisis and transition, teaching positive environmental stewardship through
hands-on ecology projects, and maintaining healthy lifestyles by promoting better
nutrition and exercise for young and old alike. Girl
Scouts show leadership capacities by creating new and reenergizing existing community
networks of caring individuals to rally together for a common goal. Whether
an event, a service or something tangible, etc. – each project requires
65 hours of focused effort, from planning through execution and evaluation. The
Girl Scout must solicit the support of an adult advisor and may engage other community
leaders, organizations and businesses. Detailed records of the process and the
outcomes are faithfully maintained and submitted. The Gold Award remains a part of a girls – and a community’s
life – for years to come. Because
the award is based upon GSUSA’s national standards, the Girl Scout Gold
Award carries great impact in applying for admission to college and scholarships,
as well as on job applications and other merit-based considerations. Awardees’
efforts are officially recognized by federal, state, county and municipal officials.
It’s an awesome achievement by a teenage girl!
Angeles Girl
Scout Council is very proud of the thousands
of our Girl Scouts who have achieved the Girl Scout Gold Award throughout the
years. Their efforts have brought honor
to their dedicated Girl Scout adult volunteers, their sister Girl Scouts and their
families.
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